QUILTS & FABRIC: PAST & PRESENT

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Victorian Puzzle Saga II

The examples I've seen are generally late-19th-century and are mainly of silk, but also wool or cotton. What I liked was the spontaneity in the hexagon.

I realized the key is the center strip. It's not just a random strip of dark. It has to go at an angle, narrower at one edge than the other and it has to be the same size in each diamond, although the rest of the strips can be random.

I drafted a diamond with a repeating dark shape in the center. It worked, so I plunged ahead. I used a dark red solid for the center and sort of fruit sherbert colors for the string piecing.

I don't know if it's my drafting or my piecing--- the intersections still don't meet well.

But at this point I decided to continue, although there were many stops and starts.

It's really a puzzle because there is a lot of directional skill involved in putting these diamonds together right.

[Not my skill area.] You could see why someone might abandon the project....

An unfinished top in silks

And then I couldn't find any more of the dark red.

So this is as big as it got with a different, striped dark red for the border.

Victorian Puzzle or the Curse of Mrs. Bulwer-Lytton

Dot for scale

I'd give you a pattern but I think somebody else could draw it better.

Here's one from the Kentucky Historical Society with a little embroidery.

20 comments:

Barbara! I am so inspired! I have been itching to start a new project and this might be it! I love your version of the quilt. Thank you for doing what you do! I love learning about old patterns in quilts.

I just drafted the pattern using a 45 degree diamond ruler. It seems that not only you would have the angled wedge in the center of it but also the strings are at angle. Each side of diamond is identical. I drafted four of the same diamonds and made a mirror pattern for the other four. This allows you to make a version of the quilt from Kentucky Historical Society with eight diamonds.

I will also try making the pattern from the 60 degree diamond. I think that would mimic the pattern correctly.

If I wasn't teaching at Philly Modern Quilt guild today, this is the quilt I would be starting!I love a design mystery! Thank you for my daily fuel! Sending you the pictures soon!

I'm so glad you asked about Dot. She is a sorta dachshund from the shelter. Weighs 23 lbs. Can leap up and grab things off a table if she wants to. Dachshunds don't leap. Might have some Jack Russell in her.And Sujata---send pictures soon.

Hey! Your quilt is as good as or better than the others you put up on the blog. There is nothing "perfect" looking about this pattern. It'supposed to be a visual confusion for the viewer to figure out. If there is anything wrong with your points or your piecing I don't see it. Thanks for writing about your process of discovery.

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